ELKO, Nev. – The power of the presidency in the theater of political campaigning: Air Force One rolls up to a tarmac rally in Elko framed by low mountains, and President Bush strolls out and across the runway with a team of Republican candidates to greet a waiting crowd.

"It is nice to be in a part of the country where the cowboy hats outnumber the ties,'' Bush tells his audience in Elko, which of course is the same thing he told his crowd earlier today in Billings, Mont., and the same thing he told a lot of Western and Midwestern crowds in 2004.

President Bush strolls across the runway at Elko, Nev., where Air Force One remains parked as a backdrop for the president's tarmac rally with Republicans. Photo by Mark Silva.

The president arrived here with his warning that Democrats do not understand the stakes in the war against terrorism.

"One of the lessons of September the 11th is that when this nation sees a threat it must deal with it before it comes home to haunt us,'' Bush told the crowd. "The central front of this war is Iraq…. If we leave Iraq before the job is done, the enemy will follow us here.''

Even a steady drizzle breaking out midway through his speech atop a stage erected on the tarmac could not deter the president from his appointed appearance here -- with Air Force One parked as a backdrop, and White House press office people politely but furtively asking arriving reporters and photographers to move out of the path of "the picture'' of the president and his plane. As the raindrops fell on the president, standing in black shoes, black slacks, a gray blazer and open-collared windowpane blue shirt, Bush rolled through the lines of his cut-taxes, fight-the-fight in Iraq speech with a certain relish that seemed heightened by the cowboy-hatted crowd.

The president is undeterred by a light drizzle that breaks out midway through his speech in Elko, the high-school band behind him. Photo by Mark Silva.

"Down-to-earth, common-sense people,'' Bush called his audience. "We've got plenty of high-flyers there'' in Washington, he said, suggesting that what Washington needs is more of these "decent people'' here.

Dean Heller, the Republican candidate running for a congressional seat that covers most of Nevada outside of Las Vegas, bragged that this was the state whose four electoral votes put Bush "over the top'' – actually, any state that supported Bush in 2000 put him over the top in a contest that ended with a 36-day court battle over Florida's disputed vote.

But more importantly, Heller noted, Bush carried the rural vote in Nevada by 45,000 votes. And it is places such as these where Bush will concentrate his 10-state campaign in the closing days of the midterm congressional elections in which control of Congress is at stake.

"We're focusing his energy on places where he can best turn out the vote for Republican candidates,'' said a senior administration official aboard Air Force One en route from Montana to Nevada. "These are all races that are close. These are all races that are likely going to come down to turnout.

Air Force One lurked in the backdrop of the rally -- and the photos for local television news consumption. Photo by Mark Silva

The White House acknowledged that Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia are "the three most competitive Republican states today.'' Sen. George Allen (R., Va.,) is attempting to fend off Democrat Jim Webb in Virginia. And Republican Bob Corker faces Rep. Harold Ford (D., Tenn.) in a contest for the seat of retiring Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee. Bush has been to both Virginia and Tennessee and campaigned for both Allen and Corker, and now, in the closing days of the campaign he is concentrating on 10 states that he carried in 2004, states where the White House hopes his appearances will stir Republicans to vote in close contests that could turn on turnout.

With his appearance in Montana earlier today and his planned appearances in Missouri tomorrow – in both Joplin and Springfield – Bush will attempt to rally voters for Republican Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana and Republican Sen. Jim Talent of Missouri, both facing tough contests.

"These are the two where we believe the president can have the biggest impact on turnout,'' the White House official said. "And given the calculation you make in terms of all the schedule and where you need to be and how to best boost turnout and who needs help, those are the two where it made the best sense to travel to.''

The president will close his tour in Arkansas, Florida and Texas on Monday – dipping in to the far northwestern corner of Florida's Panhandle, a Republican stronghold, to bolster the campaign of Charlie Crist, the Republican state attorney general who is seeking to replace the retiring Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, the president's younger brother.

Comments

Yeah - and it'll be nice when Dubya climbs back under his cowboy hat and goes back to stomping around in the oil and cow pies of his Texas ranch January 2009. One of the lessons learned of September 11th is that the Bush administration decided to fight the terrorists on every front but it's own. Iraq is not Afghanistan. They also learned that terrorist threats may help to garner votes for the GOP. Hence the campaign commercial "The Stakes." The central front of the war on terrorism is not in Iraq, but right here at home (I hope), if not - we'll be attacked again as our attention is diverted to everywhere but where the terrorists intend to induce real terror. Yeah George - yer doing a heck of a job, just a heck of a job..............

Posted by: Donald R. | Nov 2, 2006 5:21:46 PM&nbsp

Yeah,.......I especially liked the
"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" prop that W. used on that aircraft carrier.

That flightsuit he was wearing made him look like he was a real battlehardened warrior.

I'm wondering if he wore his monkey flightsuit for Holloween this year???hhmmmmmmmmmmm.......

Posted by: John E. | Nov 2, 2006 5:57:46 PM&nbsp

There's an apt expression among ranchers:

"He's all hat."

Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | Nov 2, 2006 6:06:07 PM&nbsp

I counted at least 25 die hard republicans in Bush's tarmac rally turnout. He should have filled up Air Force 1 and brought a few with him.

Posted by: Robert Carey | Nov 2, 2006 6:20:00 PM&nbsp

Wake up America!!! George(6) Walker(6) BushJr(6), Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfawitz, and Michael Hayden had foreknowledge of 9/11 and allowed it to happen, then captured OBL & ALZWRI in December 2001 18 months BEFORE de-frauding Congress, the United States of America and its citizens, and the whole world. OBL & ALZWRI have been secured in a NSA/CIA secret prison, tortured, and used to disperse NSA/CIA/PENTAGON manufactured audio & video tapes to the media, mostly Al-Jazeera, to trick American Citizens into believing a threat still existed when none did for the sole purpose of desecrating, dismantling, and destroying the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and Separation of Powers that the founding fathers established as the foundation and protection of our great DEMOCRATIC FREE DEMOCRACY. Without the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and Separation of Powers you have "no liberty" and we have "no democracy". This is the overiding universal truth of what has transpired the last 6 years that has been secretly hidden from you by the NEO-CON REPUBLICAN LUCIFERIANS that are determined to execute their secret hidden AGENDA. 9/11 was the perfect event for them to achieve this, they had foreknowledge of it, let it happen, and even bet billions of dollars on it 5 FULL DAYS BEFORE the event in the SP500 FUTURES market. My fellow Americans you have 5 days to make up your mind. If you want LIARS, CHEATERS, MURDERERS, and CRIMINALS to continue to lead this country like they have for 6 years then by all means vote 100% NEO-CON REPUBLICAN LUCIFERIAN and I can assure you they will "STAY THE COURSE" and continue with the epic criminal deceptions of malfeasance, continue to steal trillions, continue to murder, continue to shake & irritate "THE HORNET'S NEST IN THE MIDDLE EAST UNTIL ALL "HELL BREAKS LOOSE" which is the primary objective of George(6) Walker(6) BushJr(6). My fellow Americans if you know something is very wrong & want to know the truth then you must vote 100% Democratic for a restoration of Truth, Justice, and Democracy to America. My fellow Americans you have the power to evict, fire, and terminate the employment of all NEO-CON REPUBLICANS who decieved us all!!! GOOD LUCK and MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA AGAIN. I have done my job exposing the NEO-CON REPUBLICAN LUCIFERIAN AGENDA now it is up to the American People on November 7, 2006. George(6) Walker(6) BushJr(6) should have answered the question about "The Skull & Bones" Masonic Fraternity posed to him in 2000 before he was elected; I will tell you exactly what it is it is A LUCIFERIAN CULT determined to carry out a LUCIFERIAN AGENDA NOT A CHRISTIAN AGENDA!!! GEORGE(6) WALKER(6) BUSHJR(6) IS THE FURTHEST THING ANYONE COULD BE FROM A CHRISITAN AS HE SERVES LUCIFER, THE GOD OF THE SKULL & BONES MASONS.!!!!

Posted by: Todd Restelli | Nov 2, 2006 6:51:06 PM&nbsp

Can't understand why so many cons fall for the spin on an unprovoked (Iraq is not Afganistan and most of the 9/11 terrorist were Saudi's),uneccesary, and totally botched war in Iraq. When Johnson, Rusk,McNamara, Westmoreland and the gang tried to sell their trumped-up war in Vietnam we libs were protesting on campus's, state houses, and the Whitehouse lawn.The Gulf of Tonkin incident was a ruse, just like the WMD's. The line back then was we had to fight communism in S.E. Asia so we don't have to fight it here. Now it's the cons saying we have to fight the terrorist in Iraq so we don't have to fight them here.In South Vietnam we propped up a corrupt, brutal dictatorship to keep in check the Communist North. Vietnam was a civil war just like Iraq is turning into now. And the Shias that control the current Iraqi goverment are equally corrupt (no one knows where tens of billions of reconstruction dollars went or thousands of weapons). They are equally brutal as they allow the Shiite militias to operate with impunity, when they are not actually assisting the Shiite "death squads" (U.S. troops even discovered a Shiite goverment prison where alledged Sunni insurgents were tortured). Oh, I forgot, we do that too. Libs back in the 60's and 70's saw through the B.S. and the "patriot card", and the "silent majority".We called out the government then when they urinated on us and said it was "raining". Why can't you cons quit parroting the right-wing pundits and find a spine.Bush is the worst president this country has ever had. At least LBJ introduced Civil Rights Legislation and social programs to help the less fortunate. All Bush has done is give tax breaks to the rich, while he drives the country into the ground.

Posted by: Richard out west | Nov 2, 2006 7:12:00 PM&nbsp

Ah yes, just like a Hummer is a $40,000 (word for phallic symbol) for the local big fish in the small pond, so AF-1 is a $50,000,000 symbol for the big pond.

How come he gets to use the American taxpayer's jet to stump for the Republican party? I want them to pay up for the use of the people's vehicle for political purposes. I don't see any laws being legislated right now. This is pure campaining!

Posted by: lochnessmonster | Nov 2, 2006 8:50:53 PM&nbsp

I don't have a problem with President Bush using Air Force One as a prop. I do, however, question is morality in using military personnel to sell his product. Car salesmen show more integrity when they use the flag.

Posted by: Roger | Nov 2, 2006 10:07:46 PM&nbsp

hey--

Frank James
Mark Silva
Zuckerman

What's the point of the swamp? When it started, I thought there would be some interesting inside DC stories. But the last 48 hours has been an RNC message board. Do you guys actually earn a salary for posting this stuff? Come on, surely you guys have more than "Kerry digs a hole", "Bush has a big plane", "Boehner doesn't play by anybody's rules". Actually the most indepth coverage James has posted lately was the analysis on Kerry's response. But when the Majority whip insults the troops, we just get a youtube link to a foxnews show. Do you guys actually do anything? Or are you merely scriveners?

Posted by: zeus | Nov 2, 2006 10:58:06 PM&nbsp

Todd Rostelli,
Are you related to John E. Rostelli and Dale Peters Rostelli??? You seem to have the same defective D.N.A. strands as they do.
Paulo

Posted by: paulo | Nov 2, 2006 11:27:26 PM&nbsp

I like seeing the jet that my tax money bought.

It's so nice that W. uses my jet to campaign for the other wingnut losers too.

I had to laugh when I heard that Rummy and Darth recently got a vote of "confidence" from W.

That's sort of like Larry and Curly getting a vote of "confidence" from Moe isn't it??

Posted by: John E. | Nov 2, 2006 11:53:50 PM&nbsp

John (Swift Boat) Kerry just Spoke for most of you Lefty Liberal Democrats... "Hate America especially Men & Women in the Armed Forces" The Slip is what he really beleives.....Sorry that the once proud Democratic Party has been taken over by Radicals....Don K Sr.

Posted by: Don Kaltschmidt Sr. | Nov 3, 2006 12:14:56 AM&nbsp

A silver-spooned elitist New England Ivy League cheerleading awol draft dodging irresponsible drunken coke whore half wit somehow has become a tough talkin ten gallon hat good ole Texas cowboy that America should trust and love.
Couldn't Karl find a horse and hat for his show and tell project? "Look kids, I made a president"
It's Howdy Doody time..........

Posted by: Bubba | Nov 3, 2006 12:31:48 AM&nbsp

C. Morris : you're a very clever guy. You always keep your wits about you and a sense of humour too. I wish I possesed those qualities, but it's tough out here in "Zion".This country's only had Republican dictatorship for six years. We've had to live with one-party rule here for 20 years. Our senior senator is none other than the minister of torture, the bane of flag-burners everywhere, Mr. borrin Orrin Hatch. Our lone Congressional democrat, Jim Matheson, votes like a repulican because the cons were so egregious in their gerrymandering, he feels he has to, to remain in office. Anyway, keep up the good fight, brother, things can only get better. P.S.- If you don't see my post anymore, its because Senator Hatch has arranged for me to be held in Gauntanimo and tortured until I agree to come over to the other side.

Posted by: Richard out west | Nov 3, 2006 2:20:29 AM&nbsp

Please show the evidence the UBL is caught, where do you people get such crap. BTW Clinton used AF to fly all over for Al Gore so you can't cry about Bush. I really wonder if you people out there really love America. Have you ever been overseas out of our nation, Have you evr served your country, well I have and let me tell you that your rants are amazing and provide entertainment. Really look at what you say and what the Dems say and you can see why your party is not ever trusted. I hope there is a Roosevelt, Truman or Kennedy type out there for you in 08, Hillary will not do it. BTW Where is Nancy P? In hiding with Harry Reid since Americans are too smart to give them power and the Dems don't want their faces out there as a reminder for 11/7?

Posted by: repman | Nov 3, 2006 7:06:54 AM&nbsp

Our vocal Righties, who were so quick to scream about Obama's Africa trip, are strangely quiet about the tax payer $'s that Bush is (what a surprise) spending to go out and preach to the choir. Where's the outrage, pals? Would love to see a $ figure total for these jaunts.

Posted by: DD | Nov 3, 2006 5:25:24 PM&nbsp

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